Article of furniture and method of forming same

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture, such as a chair, has a basic horizontal frame structure, such as the seat frame, which is constituted by a pair of strip-like structural members that are formed to a desired common shape, such as arcuate, and arranged in a confronting, spaced apart, nested relation, such as concentric, and permanently joined in such relationship by bridging blocks or other spacers fixedly inserted in the gap between the members with the open spaces of the gap providing sockets for the fixed reception of mounting ends on the arm frames, back frame, and leg assembly. Such frame structure concept is applicable in the manufacture of top back rails, arms, rims and aprons and other such applications.

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SHEET 4 BF 4 ARTICLE OF FURNITURE AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME This is adivision of application Ser. No. 193,071, filed Oct. 27, 1971 now US.Pat. No. 3,754,585.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention generally appertains to novel improvements in the constructionof articles of fumiture and especially relates to a new and novelfoundation or frame construction and method of forming the same in themanufacture of articles of furniture, such as chairs, sofas, couches andthe like, irrespective of the external appearance or formation of sucharticles of furniture.

In the usual manufacture of furniture, the vast majority of the framesare made of wood. This is particularly true of frames used in theconstruction of upholstered articles of furniture, such as chairs andsofas. Wood as a raw material has the attributes of being relativelyinexpensive, easily machined and hasexcellent tack or staple holdingproperties for the attachment of upholstery fabric.

Furniture designed with straight lines is made most economically ofwood. When designs require any degree of curvature, such as curvedbases, the wood parts must be machined and such machining not only slowsdown the construction of the furniture but also, due to the laborfactor, adds to the cost of manufacture. A common example of such slowand expensive construction is the socalled barrel chair." In suchconstruc tion, the curved parts, such as the base seat frame, are madeof bandsawn and dowelled segments cut from large and heavy blocks ofsolid or laminated wood. The high labor cost and the very large wastefactor have made the cost of such barrel chairs or any chairs or sofaswith a curved base frame rise steeply in recent years.

In the manufacture of upholstered furniture, the many parts, which makeup the basic frame structure, mustbe completely assembled before anyupholstering can be commenced. Also, the job of the upholsterer is verymuch complicated by having to tailor the fabric around the manystructural members and braces of the conventional frame.

In addition, with present manufacturing techniques that require themachining of parts in forming the frames, there is a restriction ondesigning since there is always a concern for the breaking of the woodparts due to short grain" on curved parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention is toprovide a sub-assembly or built-up section technique for theconstruction of articles of furniture, such as chairs, sofas, couchesand the like, whereby a reduction in material and labor costs and timeof manufacture can be realized along with a reduction in weight of thefinished articles of furniture and whereby an increase in the strengthof such finished articles can also be obtained.

The construction technique of this invention produces a reduction inweight of the furniture from about one-fourth to about one-half overconventionally constructed and assembled furniture of the same class andnature, such as a barrel chair. Such technique, also,

provides about double the strength'of a chair formed,

thereby over a conventionally constructed chair, for example, with thesame being true of sofas and the like and other articles of furniture.Also, with the manufacturing technique of the present invention, theproduction costs are reduced over conventional manufacturing techniquesfrom about one-fourth toabout onehalf.

Another primary object of the present invention is to provide amanufacturing technique for constructing upholstered articles offurniture, like chairs and sofas, whereby such articles are formed fromsections that are constructed and upholstered as completed subassemblieswhich are joined together to form the complete and final articles.

Such construction technique will permit a significant reduction inmanufacturing and inventory costs to be achieved since, for example, thesame base construction can be used with a number of differently styledand designed arm and back sections. Also,'a common base construction canbe used with differently styled legs. For example, the same framecan bemerchandised with Contemporary, Mediterranean, Traditional or otherstyles by merely attaching the appropriate set of legs to the commonframe.

Basic to the novel manufacturing technique of the present invention isthe formation of the base seat frame from two concentric or parallelbands or strips fabricated of veneer or other suitable material ofplywood, plastic, metal, paper or the like material with the bands beingjoined in spaced apart and nested relation by bridging or spacerelements that are fixed in the gap between the bands. The spaces of thegap between the connecting bridging or spacer elements can, if desired,define sockets for the fixed reception of tenons on arm frames, backframes and leg assemblies.

For example, a pair of plywood strips or a plurality of strips of woodto form a pair of plywood strips are formed into arcuate shapes over amandrel or form to the desired contour. One of the strips is formed soas to be smaller than the other such that when the pair of strips areplaced in non-contacting juxtaposition there is a uniform seven-eighthsinch gap between them at all points. The strip of smaller shape isnested inside the other when the strips are assembled into a concentricrelationship and there is a resultant and uniform gap of seven-eighthsinch between the two strips. Blocks of wood seven-eighths inch squareand of a given length (usually 3 to 6 inches long) can be insertedvertically in the gap between the strips. These blocks can be gluedand/or stapled or otherwise fastened at a number of desired locations toprovide a strong, light-weight and inexpensive structure. The blocks notonly serve as bridging blocks that interconnect the strips but they canalso serve as fastening points for springs and as locator stops for theinsertion of the mounting ends of the arm frames, the back frame and thelegs.

The same technique for the formation of the basic seat frame can beextended to and used in the construction of the arm frames, the backframe and other components.

The various frames are formed and completed, as by being individuallyand separately upholstered, and then in assembling the frames into acomplete and final chair, for example, small cuts can be made in thecovering fabric for the seat frame to permit tenons formed on the armand back frames to be inserted into the gap between the two base stripsor members. With regard to the foregoing example, thetenons or othermachined end constructions would be seven-eighths inch thick. Suitablefasteners inserted through the inside. of the base frame into the tenonsserve to hold the arm frames and back frame to the basee frame. Legswould be formed with machined upper ends, either tenons or bifurcations,that would have seven-eighths inch tenons to fit into the gap and beattached by fasteners such as conventional nails, wood screws, staples,bolts and the like.

Thus, it can be appreciated that a very important object of thepresent'invention is to provide a new and novel chair, sofa or the likearticle of furniture construction and to provide a simple, easy andinexpensive method of manufacturing such article of furniture, with themethod being basically applicable to the formation of any articles offurniture that have a basic horizontal base frame assembly from whichvertical supports, such as legs, depend, as in the case of an ottoman,foot stool or even a table.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS of FIG. 1 and showing the variousframe sections in unchairformed in accordance with the present inventionand illustrating the unassembled sections in positions for assemblingand with some of. thesections being shown in an upholstered condition. y

FIG. 7 is a frontal perspective view of the back frame section of thechair shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularlyto theaccompanying drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, the chair frame10 is for a wing type swivel rocker, which is not shown in its final,completed form. The chair frame 10includes a base frame 12, that alsoconstitutes the seat frame, and which is formed from inner and outerconcentrically arranged arcuate bands or strips 14 and 16, respectively.The inner strip '14 is shorter than the outer strip 16 and is nestedtherein witha space or gap 18 being provided between the strips.

The strips 14 and 16 are permanently fixed in their nested concentricrelationship .by bridging blocks'20 which are inserted into the gap 18at the illustrated spaced apart locations and fixed to the innerconfronting'faces'of the strips byglueor other fastening means.Fasteners, such as nails, can be used and would be 4 driven into theblocks from both sides of the U-shaped base frame 12.

The outer ends of the leg portions 22 and 24 of the inner arcuate strip14 and the outer ends of the leg portions 26 and 28 on FIG. 3 of theouter arcuate strip. 16 are connected by a cross slat 30 that closes offthe open front end of the U-shaped base frame and serves as the straightfront end for such frame. The slat 30 has its ends butted up against theinsides of the outer ends of the leg portions of the outer strip 16 andsecured thereto by fastening nails 32 or other means, while the slatfaces overthe outer ends of the leg portions of the inner strip 14. p

A base board 34 is disposed beneath the base frame and extends from thefront slat to the bight portion 36 of the base frame with the baseboardbeing attached to thecoplanar lower edges of the cross slat and theinner and outer strips. Thebase board 34 serves as the means forattaching the base frame to a swivel rocker base, which is aconventional piece of furniture hardware and, for this reason, is notillustrated.

The chair frame 10 further includes a back frame 38 that is composed ofa top section 40 whichis con-' structed in a manner similar to theformation of the base frame. Thetop back section 40 includes inner andouter strips or bands 42 and 44, respectively, that are spaced apart ina nested relationship to provide a gap 46 in which bridging blocks 48are fixedly inserted to maintain the strips in their spaced apartrelationship. The outer open ends 50 of the gap 46 are closed by theinserted inner end portions 52 of solid wood ears or wings 54. The innerend portions 52 aresocketed in the open ends of the gap 46 in a mannerso that the ears 54 protrude from the gap as axial prolongations of thetop back section 40. The inserted end portions are fixed to the ends ofthe strips 42 and 44 by fasteners 56.

The inner socketed ends 52 oftheears or wings 54 areformed with verticalnotches 58 which fixedly receive the tenons 60 on the upper ends ofvertical back posts 62. The lower ends of the back posts 62 arebifurcated with such bifurcated lower ends 64 being attached to the baseframe. The bifurcated ends straddle the inner strip 14 of the base frameat the junction .between. the bight portion and the leg portions withone bifurcation 64a being vertically socketed in the gap 18 and theother bifurcation 64b being vertically disposed along the inner face ofthe strip 14. Fasteners 65 secure the lower ends 64 of the back posts tothe base frame.

The ears or wings 54 have sockets (not shown) vertically formed in theirundersides into which the upper ends of angularly declined turnings 66are fixedly fitted with the lower ends of the turnings socketed'in thegap of arm frame 70. The upper end of upright 68 is socketed in the gapof arm frame 70 and the lower end of upright 68 is socketed in gap 14 tothe base frame 12.

Arm frames 70 are provided and each of such arm frames includes an innerarm slat 72 thatis constituted by the leg portions of an arcuate band 74which is fixed within transverse notches 76 formed on the inner sides ofthe vertical back'posts 62. The bight portion 78- of I the band 74serves as a curved support for the back 'fr'arne38 and is bent on thesame radius as the outer strip 16 which it overlies. v

Each arm frame 70 further includes an outer arm slat 80 which has itsend portion 82 fitted in a transverse notch 84 formed in the outer faceof each of the vertical back posts 62 at a point coinciding with theplacement of the notches 76. The arm slats are interconnected by fillerblocks 86 and have transversely spaced apart outer ends 88 that define asocket which is closed off and filled by an inserted horizontal tongue90 attached to the upper end of an arm knuckle 92. A shaped block 85 isfastened to outer slat 80 as a style feature of this type chair. Thelower end portions of the arm knuckles 92 have tenons 96 which arefixedly fitted within the gap 18 of the base frame 12 adjacent the crossslat 30. The socketed tenons 96 are fixed by suitable fasteners withinthe receiving gap 18.

A U-shaped center rail 98 is fixed to the inner faces of the lower endportions 94 of the arm knuckles and to the blocks 69, as shown in FIGS.1 and 2.

After the frame sections are assembled, as shown in FIG. 1, the framesections are covered with an upholstery fabric 100 with the solid woodwings 54 and arm knuckles 92 being left exposed. Of course, the variousframe sections can be designed to be upholstered in separate fashionbefore they are assembled together to form the entire chair frame.

In the construction of the base frame 12, the bands or strips 14 and 16which are formed from thin wood strips, plastic, paper or similarmaterial are formed over a mandrel, wound about a mandrel or form to thedesired U-shaped contour with the inner strip being smaller, as, forexample, seven-eighths inch, than the outer strip. When the smallerinnerstrip 14 is nested within the outer strip 16, this produces the uniformgap 18 which would be seven-eighths inch. In such instance, the bridgingblocks 20 would be solid wood blocks of seven-eighths inch square and ofthe required length, predicated upon the vertical extent of the strips,usually about 3 to 6 inches. The blocks are inserted vertically in thegap 18 and are glued and/or stapled or otherwise fastened at a number ofspaced apart locations, as illustrated.

The bridging blocks may be disposed transversely and may be positionedin other fashion between the strips, since they need not run. transverseto the longitudinal surfaces of the spaced apart strips or frame membersI4 and 16. In any position, the blocks 20 not only serve as bridging andconnecting blocks between the strips or frame members but they also areemployed as fastening points for the attachment of springs (not shown).Various types of springs may be used including No-Sag"; drop-in springunits or four or eight-way hand-tied coil springs and webbing.

In another formation, the base frame could be formed of plastic with theconcentric strips or frame members and bridging blocks or other spacersbeing formed integrally as part of a unitary whole.

In the form shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, thewing-back chair frame a includes a base frame 12a which is constructedthe same as the base frame 12 of FIGS. 1-3 but which is supported byvertical legs 102. The legs 102 have upper bifurcated ends 104 thatvertically straddle the inner 'strip or base frame member 14a with thebifurcation 104a socketed in the gap 18a and the bifurcation 10412engaging the outer face of the inner strip 140. Suitable fastenerssecure the bifurcated ends 104 in place so that the base frame issecurely supported by the legs 102.

The chair frame 10a further includes a back frame 106, as shown in moredetail in FIG. 5. The back frame 106 is composed of a top back section108 which is constructed similar to the top back section of the backframe 38 of the chair frame 10 of FIGS. 1-3. The ends of the top backsection 108 are attached to blocks attached to the side of vertical backposts 110. The posts have bifurcated lower ends 112 fitted over theinner strip 14a at the ends of the bight portion 36a of the base frame12a.

The back posts have their front and back faces formed with transversenotches 114 and 116 atvertically coinciding points into which theconcentric bands 118 and 120 of the arm rests 122 are fitted andsecured. The arm rests are supported by vertical arm posts 124 whichhave their lower ends bifurcated, as at 126, so that they fit in the gap18a and engage the inner strip or member 14a of the base frame 12a.

An arcuate center band 128 has its ends fixed in notches 130 formed inthe inner sides of the arm posts 124 and its web portion 131 supportedbyblocks 132 that are attached to and extend forwardly from the backposts 110 adjacent the base frame 12a.

Wing slats 134 are provided and have their lower ends attached to thetops of the arm rests with their upper ends attached to the top of theback posts 110.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the side frames 138are made entirely separately and are composed simply of top arm rests140 joined by vertical bars 142 to bottom base bars 144.-Thus, the sideframes are merely simple open rectangular frames which are covered withupholstery fabric 146. Mounting tenons 148 depend from the vertical bars142 and are left exposed so that they can be socketed in the gap 18!; ofthe base frame 1212 when the various frame sections are assembled.

.The chair 10b of FIGS. 6 and 7 has supporting legs 150 that have uppertenon ends 152 which are adapted to be socketed in and secured withinthe gap 18b. The chair, also, has a back frame 154 that has a centerframework 156 from the sides of which wing frames 158 extend. The wingframes have tenons 160 on their base portions with the tenons beingadapted to be socketed in and secured within the gap 18b of the baseframe. The entire back frame is covered with upholstery fabric 162,after being completed, with only the tenons 160 being left exposed alongwithmounting base ends 164 provided on the back posts 166. The base ends164 are formed with vertical slits 168 that receive the inner strip ofthe base'frame and define tenons 170 that fit in the gap 18b.

The base frame 12b of the chair frame 10b is actually formed from twoidentical halves so that it is formed widthwise in two halves, with eachhalf or section being similar in construction to the basic base frame 12of FIGS. 1-3. Thus, each section 172 and 174 is U-shaped or arcuate andis composed of arcuate inner and outer concentrically arranged strips orbands 176 and 178 which are in spaced nested relation to produce the gapbase frame 12, that are joined together at their mating or spaced apartbut adjoining open ends. The spacing between the open ends of thesections is determined by the length of the connecting blocks which, inthe case of long sofas, can be of considerable extent. For frames withovate shape the base frame 12b may also be made with bands 176 and 178formed as closed loops with a 360 wrap around.

The base frame 12b is covered with an upholstery fabric 184 and cuts aremade in the fabric, after the base frame is entirely covered, so as toenable the tenons on the side frames, the back frame and the legs to beinserted into the gap 18b and fastened therein when the various framesections are assembled.

While various forms of the invention have been described herein andshown in the accompanying drawings, such is merely exemplary of theinvention, that is not to be limited thereby or by the Abstract butwhich is solely to be determined by the scope and spirit of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of furniture having a basic substantially horizontalframe, said frame including a pairof vertically oriented strip-likemembers arranged in an inner and outer nested and confrontingly spacedapart relation to produce a substantial vertically open gap therebetweenand bridging blocks or spacers inserted in the gap to maintain themembers in such relationship with said blocks or spacers being securedto the members, a supporting leg assembly dependingly attached to andsubstantially U-shaped and have web portions and outer free ends and across slat connecting the free ends and forming a front end for theframe.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said members are substantiallyU-shaped having web portions and outer free ends and a pair of suchframes are disposed together with their outer free ends in confrontingrelation and connecting spacer joining said ends together so as toattach said frames together.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said article of furniture is a chairtype piece of furniture and said basic frame constitutes a seat frameand upstanding back and arm frames are secured thereto.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said frames are separately formedand upholstered and are assembled together thereafter.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said back and side frames havemounting means fitted in the gap of

1. An article of furniture having a basic substantially horizontalframe, said frame including a pair of vertically oriented strip-likemembers arranged in an inner and outer nested and confrontingly spacedapart relation to produce a substantial vertically open gap therebetweenand bridging blocks or spacers inserted in the gap to maintain themembers in such relationship with said blocks or spacers being securedto the members, a supporting leg assembly dependingly attached to andreceived in said vertically open gap formed between said verticallyoriented strip-like members to support said frame.
 2. The invention ofclaim 1 and including a back and side frames attached to and upstandingfrom the basic frame so that a chair arrangement is provided.
 3. Theinvention of claim 2 wherein said back and side frames have mountingmeans fitted in the gap and secured therein.
 4. The invention of claim 1wherein said members are substantially U-shaped and have web portionsand outer free ends and a cross slat connecting the free ends andforming a front end for the frame.
 5. The invention of claim 1 whereinsaid members are substantially U-shaped having web portions and outerfree ends and a pair of such frames are disposed together with theirouter free ends in confrOnting relation and connecting spacer joiningsaid ends together so as to attach said frames together.
 6. Theinvention of claim 1 wherein said article of furniture is a chair typepiece of furniture and said basic frame constitutes a seat frame andupstanding back and arm frames are secured thereto.
 7. The invention ofclaim 6 wherein said frames are separately formed and upholstered andare assembled together thereafter.
 8. The invention of claim 7 whereinsaid back and side frames have mounting means fitted in the gap of thebasic seat frame and secured therein.